One Step Further: Women's Access to and Control Over Farm and Forest Resources in the U.S. South

The ownership & management of forested land by women in the United States has been largely unexamined. It may be inappropriately discounted, especially in regions such as the South, where private land ownership is extensive & forest industry is an important component of the economy. Here several data sources on female forest & woodland owner/operators are examined, focusing on the southern U.S. states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, & Virginia. It is clear that female-operated farms & farmlands are increasing, & that female farm operators employ different land use strategies from their male/other counterparts. Ownership of forest land (including both farm woodlands & private forests) is higher in the South than in other parts of the United States, although recent data are not available for the region. Many integrated research questions are directed toward examination of frequently asserted hypotheses: that women view forested land differently from male/other counterparts; that they have differing goals; & that despite constraints, women can maintain economic & ecological health through their management decisions. 5 Tables, 4 Figures, 26 References. Adapted from the source document.